- KUPPET announced an end to the two-week work boycott on September 2.
- Misori did not, however, answer our calls or respond to text messages on allegations that some officials were excluded in the negotiation process.
Image: HANDOUT
A week after KUPPET and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) reached an agreement that saw the teachers' strike called off, details of complex negotiations and behind-the-scenes tensions have emerged.
KUPPET announced an end to the two-week work boycott on September 2.
The strike had seen most public schools release their learners as a result.
Information gathered from various sources uncovers a series of meetings that even saw some key union officials perceived to be hardliners locked out.
Drama is said to have started in the morning on the fateful day when Secretary-General Akelo Misori, National Treasurer Njenga Mwethi, and Gender Secretary Catherine Wambilianga held a private meeting with TSC CEO Nancy Macharia and Chairman Jamleck Muturi.
It is here where the two sides are said to have struck a deal on some critical issues that were the source of the strike.
Teachers were pushing for, among other issues, the promotion of 130,000 teachers, the absorption of 46,000 JSS teachers on permanent and pensionable terms and the remittance of statutory deductions and loans.
They also demanded the full implementation of their 2021-25 CBA, payment of all emoluments for July and release of Sh15 billion for their medical cover.
After this, the union officials moved to a hotel along Mombasa Road for a follow-up meeting.
Here, they were joined by union vice chairman Julius Korir, acting Secretary General Moses Nthurima, and Organizing Secretary Paul Maingi.
By noon, the meeting had concluded with the decision that only Secretary for Secondary School Education Edward Obwocha, who was absent, should be informed of the upcoming visit to the TSC offices.
Assistant National Treasurer Ronald Tonui who is part of the National Executive Board (NEB) was notably excluded.
At around 1pm, Wambilianga contacted Obwocha to relay the meeting's resolutions to Tonui where they arranged a meeting at the same hotel.
The trio were opposed to the decision to call off the strike.
Tonui would later arrive at the venue where he encountered the officials and confronted them about the exclusion of others.
He was instead told that instructions had been given to TSC not to involve him and Sammy Chelanga, the Secretary for Tertiary Institutions in the negotiation process.
It was at this point that the team led by Misori then proceeded to the TSC offices where a press conference had been planned to declare an end to the strike.
Wambilianga is said to have stayed behind for additional discussions with Tonui.
Chelanga later arrived at the hotel at around 3pm followed by Obwocha.
The four held discussions and despite their reservations they resolved to proceed to the TSC offices.
At the offices, they found preparations for a press conference already in place.
Tonui is said to have demanded a signed copy of the press release.
This led to a heated exchange with NEB officials.
NEB insisted that Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers were not part of KUPPET's negotiations, with Macharia stating that this was a presidential initiative not included in the talks.
Tonui's insistence on a signed document led to a reluctant agreement, capturing additional teachers’ demands.
Despite disagreements, the press conference went ahead where KUPPET and TSC announced the suspension of the strike, marking a resolution to the tense negotiations.
When reached, Tonui confirmed that he was not invited during the negotiations with TSC.
"It is true some of us were excluded in the negotiation process. I received information from some members that TSC had instructions from above to have me locked out due to my stance on the matter," he told the Star.
Misori did not, however, answer our calls or respond to text messages on allegations that some officials were excluded from the negotiation process.
Mwethi on his part dismissed the allegations as unsubstantiated noting "those are pure lies" and that none of the top officials was exempted.
He said those alleging to have not been involved are campaigning for the 2026 union elections.
"All the members of the NEB who were around were present save for the national chairman who was bereaved," he stated.
He explained that on September 2, NEB members were to assemble at the head office for talks but for reasons known to some, they chose to snub it.
He confirmed that they went to the TSC in the morning for talks because they only wanted the top three in that meeting.
"And, because we wanted to be sure of the return-to-work formula we told them we would not continue with the negotiations without the whole committee, so we went back and met with all the other members," he said.
He shared a list of 17 members who were present at the TSC boardroom ahead of the press conference.
It included eight TSC officials led by its CEO and nine union officials.
Branch officials from across the country are now demanding explanations even as they term the move to abruptly end the strike a betrayal.